


Brighter Days

by jenny_wren



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-03 21:48:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10975998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenny_wren/pseuds/jenny_wren
Summary: Kink meme fill for rich doctor Bones as sugar daddy to college Jim





	Brighter Days

Leonard McCoy stomped out of his mother’s house feeling profoundly unsettled. Oh he shouted and stormed loudly enough at the ‘intervention’ she had staged – his three least favorite cousins and most crotchety Aunt all telling him what a mistake, waste of space and user his boyfriend was, his mother was lucky he hadn’t burnt the house down with sheer indignation - but now their words were eating away at him.

Was he really a besotted middle-aged fool as Cousin Violette had so kindly described him. The middle-aged bit stung, he was only just past thirty. But then just past thirty _was_ middle-aged when compared to nineteen, so maybe Cousin Violette had a point.

And it wasn’t as if he could actually argue with besotted because, well, he was. His boyfriend only had to smile that warm, breathless smile that he seemed to save just for Leo, and Leo melted.

He really was as pitiable as Cousin Sheldon had said. Cousin Sheldon had somehow got hold of his bank records, there were definite disadvantages belonging to a well-connected family, and yes okay, Leo had spent rather a lot on his boyfriend.

Not more than he could afford, because at least he wasn’t that sort of fool, but far more than he usually did. Most of it was the car, and Leo was making no apologies for that. It would take a stronger man than him to let their boyfriend drive around in that dreadful rattletrap Jim had owned before. 

The idea of Jim being in accident in it, with the lack of airbags, non-working seatbelts and unsecure seating, was the stuff of nightmares. Jim’s, “It won’t go fast enough to get me into an accident,” was no comfort at all. Leo had patched together far too many crash victims who’d been doing nothing more than innocently minding their own business.

Worse, the devil car had broken down constantly, stranding Jim all over the city. When Leo had an actual nightmare in which Jim broke down somewhere cold, dark and dangerous and he just couldn’t get to him in time, he’d snapped. 

He dragged Jim down the car dealership the next day. Jim had inevitably drooled over fast, shiny, and red, but Leo put his foot down. He was not buying his boyfriend a bright shiny coffin. Jim had been unexpectedly amenable and they’d settled on something navy-blue and secure. Leo couldn’t remember what sort, because he left car-ogling to his boyfriend, but it had been top of the safety lists for the last two years, which was all he cared about.

Cousin Sheldon had been completely unimpressed with his reasoning. Leo had shouted some more. Cousin Sheldon pointed out even leaving aside the car issue, Leo had still spent nearly twice as much as he usually did. 

“You mustn’t think we blame the boy,” Cousin Tilda broke in, presumably with the idea of being tactful, Cousin Tilda was renowned for her tact. “We wouldn’t expect someone like that to turn down all this.” She gestured to the pile of receipts Sheldon had gathered.

“Someone like what?” demanded Leo dangerously.

“Well you know,” Tilda shrugged her shoulders in their luxurious fur jacket that must have cost almost as much as Leo spent on Jim’s car. “Not one of us.”

Leo ground his teeth against the need to swear. He might want to shake them at times, but they were his family. When he was sure he was back in control of his tongue he said,

“I’m going now, I’ll see you again when you can be civil. About me _and_ Jim.”

“But Leonard,” his Aunt Doris screeched after him. “Does the boy even like you?”

Leo slammed the door so hard the windows rattled.

 

And now he was wondering, did Jim even like him? Cousin Tilda might be obnoxious, but she was right in a way. Jim wasn’t like Leo, Jim was a college student barely scraping by. Just buying Jim a good dinner made a sizeable contribution to his weekly budget. He’d nearly cried when Jim had explained if he ate enough when Leo took him out, he didn’t need to waste money on lunch the next day - Leo now supplied him with free-range eggs and vegetables from the farm near his Grandmother’s. 

So no, if Jim found the money Leo could disperse so easily too hard to turn down, Leo couldn’t blame him.

It wasn’t as if he had ever hidden the fact he’d had money and was prepared to spend it on Jim. In fact he’d been so obvious that, when he thought about it, he made himself blush.

He taught a class on neural grafting every fall at the University. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he enjoyed teaching. Generally students were so stupid they made his teeth ache, but there was nearly always one or two who made the frustration worthwhile. The day he met Jim though, had been as frustrating as all get out. He’d ended up having to stay late to attend a reception for something or other, because a McCoy was a great addition to a party. He’d finally escaped a little past eight, and he’d stopped at the campus coffee shop for a restorative shot of caffeine.

The air was damp with drizzle and the dark sky heavy with the promise of more to come, so he wasn’t surprised to find the place practically deserted. One barista, a pretty girl with her red hair in bedraggled pigtails, was slowly clearing trash. The other was slumped on his elbows at the counter. He looked up at Leo’s approach, and Leo stared into the bluest eyes he’d ever seen.

“Good evening and…” the automatic monotone spiel tailed off and the bright blue eyes smiled at him, “Hi, I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Hello,” Leo’s brain dried up and all he could do was stare stupidly.

“I’m Jim Kirk,” he held his hand out for a handshake.

Leo stared at it.

Jim Kirk flinched and started to withdraw his hand, smile dimming. Leo couldn’t stand to see that so he reached out and grabbed the hand.

“McCoy, Leonard McCoy.”

“Ohh,” Jim nodded like he understood something. “Dr McDreamy.”

“What!”

Jim flushed, “Sorry did I say that out loud. Though really I can’t be the first person to mention your nickname.”

“No, you’re definitely the first,” Leo blinked feeling even more stupid and wide-eyed. “Do they really call me that?”

“Uh huh. You honestly didn’t know?”

“I thought they called me ‘that grumpy maniac who’s mean to his bones’ to be honest.”

Jim laughed, “Yeah, I think Christine might have mentioned that too. Which I don’t get at all, cause you’re clearly a total softie.”

“That’s utter slander, I am a grumpy maniac who’s mean to his bones.” Leo lowered his eyebrows and glared his best glare.

Jim laughed delightedly, “Nope, not buying it Bones.”

“Bones?”

“McDreamy’s all wrong for you, you’re too, too dignified for that.” 

“And Bones is more dignified?” Leo asked, willing to be convinced.

“Yup,” he nodded his head decisively.

“Well thanks, I think.” Abruptly Leo realized he was still holding Jim’s hand and he pulled away in confusion.

“So, uh, what can I get for you Bones? No wait,” a lighting grin flashed across his face, “Let me guess, ‘I just want some goddam coffee, without any of that fancy crap.’”

Now Leo was blushing, “That might, possibly, sound a bit like me.”

“Nailed it,” Jim crowed. He turned away and started to flick levers.

“So are you a student here?” Leo asked, trying very hard not to say ‘please give me your address so I can stalk you properly.’

“Computer engineering.” He segued into several well-rehearsed silly stories of computer-related mishaps. Leo propped himself up against the counter and enjoyed watching the animated hands and vibrant face.

His coffee was long gone and Leo was in the middle of explaining neural grafting to an audience that was appreciative and appeared to understand, which was a heady experience given his usual ability to bring conversation to a screeching halt by mentioning his specialty, when a voice bellowed,

“Kirk!” A blustery man with a big forehead and small glasses appeared from the backroom. “Kirk! I don’t pay you to meet your pick-ups at my coffee bar.”

All the life drained from Jim’s face, “Yes sir,” he said robotically. He gave Leo a small, apologetic smile and turned away to shine the already spotless counter top.

Leo reached into his wallet and pulled out a twenty, “I’ll have one stupidly flavored, ridiculously over-expensive coffee, please.”

Jim took the money, glanced at his manager and then helplessly rang up a nine dollar coffee.

The manager hmphed, glared and stormed back into his office.

“Sorry,” Jim cringed, passing Leo back his change. Leo kept hold of his hand.

“It’s okay. Who knows when I’ll have another opportunity to talk to someone who can discuss anesthesia without falling asleep.”

“That’s appalling,” Jim snickered, “I can’t believe you dared to say it out loud.”

“You’re the one who laughed,” Leo grinned, he’d happily make far more dreadful puns to get Jim to relax again. 

“Okay, you got me. Maybe it falls into the so bad it’s good category.”

Leo stayed there chatting to Jim and buying a further three nine-dollar coffees until two hours had passed and it was closing time.

“Sorry Bones, but I gotta help Gaila clear up.”

“I’ll wait.” He slouched down against the bar and took a tentative sip of his latest coffee. It really was revolting.

Jim had disappeared out the back with the trash, when Gaila stopped swabbing down the coffee machine and glared at Leo.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Um.”

“Hanging around here, being all flash.” She cast a derisive glance at his bespoke suit and Leo shifted uncomfortably. “Spending forty dollars to buy time with Jimmy.”

“It was just coffee,” he protested.

“Yes and we all know what that’s a euphemism for.”

“No really…”

“Yeah right. Well let me tell you Mr Hotshot Doctor, if you hurt Jimmy, it doesn’t matter how great they all think you are, I will end you.”

Leo was spared the impossible task of coming up with a response to that by Jim’s reappearance.

“Hey Gaila,” he tweaked one of her pigtails. “I’m done, how about you?”

“All done.”

“Mr Somerset,” Jim called, “we’re off now.”

There was a grumble from the back office but the manager did not reemerge.

“Quick, before he finds some reason to hold us back.” They hustled out the café and suddenly Leo felt like a loose end.

“Um, can I walk you home?”

Gaila and Jim exchanged glances. Jim glared a bit and finally Gaila said,

“Oh alright, but this is not what I meant by something different.” She shrugged her purse higher on shoulder.

“Will you be okay?”

“I’m meeting Nyota by the library. Will you be okay?”

“Gaila, I’ll be fine.”

“Hah, you’re always fine.”

“Exactly.” He threw out his arms with conviction. Gaila punched him lightly in the stomach.

“Call me,” she ordered, and stomped off, her high heels tick-tacking on the concrete.

“Yes ma’am.” Jim turned back to Leo. “Sorry about that, Gaila fusses.”

“She’s a good friend.”

“The best, when, well anyway she’s a great friend.”

“So can I walk you home?”

“I live clear the other side of town.”

“I could walk you to your car.”

“I was wondering,” he reached out and took Leo’s hand, holding it carefully in both of his.

“Yes sweetheart.” The endearment slipped out without his conscious permission. Jim’s fingers gripped his tighter and he stared down at their joined hands,

“I was wondering if you would think I was horribly cheap if I said I could go home with you.” He raised those stunning blue eyes to meet Leo’s for a second before ducking away. “If one can even be cheap after thirty-six dollars of coffee,” he laughed uneasily.

“I would love to have you come home with me, darling.”

“Right, okay then,” he nervously rubbed his hands against his jeans.

“But only if you want to,” Leo added, anxious at the sudden hesitance. 

“You’re the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met, and let you let me talk your ear off about AI programming, of course I want to.” Jim clutched at Leo’s jacket like he thought Leo was about to walk away from him.

“Okay then.” Leo wrapped his arm around Jim’s waist. There was an awkward moment where they didn’t quite fit together, then Jim wriggled a little and settled against Leo’s side like he was always meant to be there.

The walk to the car was easy, and Leo could feel Jim’s body relaxing further into his. He brushed his lips against his blond hair. Jim smelled of sharp coffee and sticky sweet sugar, Leo wondered what he tasted like.

He held the car door for Jim, and then blushed, at Jim’s double-take at the gesture.

“Sorry, I know I’m hopelessly old-fashioned.”

“No, it’s good, different, but good.” Jim gifted him with a small, shy smile as he took his seat. Leo closed the door carefully and walked around to the driver’s side.

When they were out the parking lot, he turned to Jim,

“I can still drive you home?”

Jim looked surprised, then shook his head, “This is fine.”

“I’m kinda hoping for better than fine.”

Jim took his hand, spreading his fingers so he could link them together, “We’ll work on it.”

 

Leo didn’t say much on the familiar drive home, too nervous of breaking the fragile spell that had left the silence expectant but not oppressive. 

He held the door again for Jim when they arrived and was rewarded by Jim snuggling back into the curve of his arm. He unlocked his front door and flicked the light switch. Jim stopped moving.

“Uh, Jim?” He turned back to see Jim staring blankly at the entrance hall.

“Man, I’m sort of afraid to breath in case I break anything. Should I take off my shoes, or do you have a decontamination chamber, or what?”

Leo looked around his hall with fresh eyes and mentally cursed himself for allowing his mother’s interior decorator free reign.

“Come up to my study, it’s much friendlier.”

“If you say so.” Jim followed him up the stairs with his hands tucked firmly behind his back, like a small boy told not to touch anything in a china shop.

Thankfully Leo’s study, were he spent the majority of his time, was much more relaxed.

Jim breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped across the threshold. “Okay, this is much more Bones.” He wandered across to the desk to poke at the books. Leo restrained the neurotic urge to tidy up the cups and plates stashed on the window sill.

“Would you like a coffee?” he asked, then mentally slapped himself at the sheer stupidity of the question, and flushed when he remembered Gaila’s euphemism comment.

“No thanks,” said Jim, “believe it or not, I don’t drink coffee.”

“No?”

“No. I’ve never much liked the taste and it makes me act like a hyperactive chipmunk on speed, so generally I avoid it.”

Leo grinned at the image, “No coffee then.”

“Not unless you meant _coffee_ coffee.”

“Coffee,” Leo repeated blankly.

“ _Coffee_ coffee,” Jim curled his arms around Leo’s waist under his jacket and pressed close to kiss him.

“Mmm,” hummed Leo as he slid his tongue into Jim’s willing mouth. Jim kissed him back with enthusiasm. Leo raised his hands so he could run them through that tempting blond hair and stroke the curve of his smile. Jim’s head rolled back as Leo’s teeth dragged gently against the delicate lobe of his ear. Sucking the tender patch of skin behind Jim’s ear got Leo a full-body shudder. He repeated the experiment and Jim bucked against him.

“We should, uh, move to my bedroom,” suggested Leo, it wasn’t quite a question, he didn’t want to push Jim faster than he wanted to go.

“Good plan.” Jim snuck another quick kiss, then stepped back. Leo took his hand and led him down the hall to his bedroom.

“Go in and make yourself comfortable, I’m just going to, uh, pop into the bathroom for a moment.” That did not sound smooth at all. Leo rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Jim looked at him, “Bones, just so you know, you completely suck at this suave seduction shit.”

“I thought you were into the kissing.”

“The kissing was great, the rest of it not so much. Actually no, it’s all great, just not, you know, suave.” He grinned at cheekily at Leo, inviting him to share the joke.

Leo glared.

Jim laughed out loud. “Okay, you can definitely do grumpy. Now go find lube and condoms.”

“Yes brat.” He shunted Jim into his bedroom with a pat on the ass that made him squeak.

“Chipmunk,” he teased.

“Grumpy bastard,” Jim called back. Leo ignored him in favor of ransacking his bathroom medicine cabinet for condoms. He knew he had them, he restocked them automatically with the rest of his medical supplies, it just took him a while to find them. Eventually he had them, and the bottle of medical grade lube - he should really look into getting something more suave - and returned to his bedroom.

Jim had undressed, his clothes a tiny, neatly folded pile on the floor. He was sitting on the corner of Leo’s huge bed, knees tucked up against his chest. Leo knew he had black sheets but he’d never noticed how funereal they were before. Jim looked like a pale, scared ghost.

“You have one hell of a big bed,” Jim said. “Hold many orgies?” He smiled but it was a weak effort compared to his beautiful grin.

“No,” Leo said rapidly stripping off, “I’m not suave enough for orgies.”

“You have to be suave for orgies?”

“I’d assume so.” He set the lube and condoms on the bedside table and tugged the sheets back. Sitting up on the bed, he held his hand out to Jim. Jim cautiously uncurled from his huddle and crawled across the bed to him. Leo caught his arm and reeled him in.

“There we go darling.” 

Jim slithered against him, rolling onto his back and pulling Leo down on top of him to rest between his spread legs. Leo propped himself up on his forearms and used his hands to hold Jim’s head still for kisses.

“Mmm,” Jim sighed happily, “okay, you are pretty suave.”

Leo lightly bit one of Jim’s nipples in retaliation. Jim’s resulting gasp and jerk of his hips demanded further exploration. Leo lapped at the nub until it was hard and stiff, then blew a stream of cool air over it.

Jim moaned and rocked his hips, lifting his legs so his thighs pressed into Leo’s side and his ankles locked behind him. His hardening cock pressed into Leo’s stomach and Leo swayed his body back and forward so he rubbed against it.

“C’mon, c’mon,” Jim urged

He was rubbing his thumb over his other nipple which was already hard in sympathy. Leo brushed Jim’s hand aside and circled it with his tongue, then grazed it with his stubbled cheek.

Jim’s whole body jolted, the grip of his legs tightened and he dug his fingers into Leo’s back.

“Please, please,” he begged.

“Please what?” Leo pulled up onto his knees and ran careful fingers down the join of Jim’s thighs, back behind his balls.

“May I?” he asked, circling Jim’s hole gently.

“God yes, yes please. Bones please. Please, please fuck me,” he begged frantically as if Leo might actually turn the offer down.

He scattered kisses across Jim’s stomach. “Ssh sweetheart, I’m here.” He reached across and snagged the lube and condoms. He squirted some into the palm of his hand and rubbed his hands together to warm it. Sliding his sticky fingers against Jim’s hole, he carefully slipped one inside. Jim gasped and bore down as his muscles slowly relaxed. Leo pressed in further, twisting his finger, searching for that magic spot.

He knew he’d found it when Jim’s eyes flew open and he sobbed,

“Bones, Bones please.”

Leo snuck another finger inside and rubbed his thumb against the rim, delighting in the way Jim’s chest heaved and his skin flushed rose, as he babbled nonsense.

When he was satisfied Jim was ready, he withdrew and grabbed a couple of pillows to shove under Jim’s hips. He had a bit of a struggle with the condom wrapper but finally got himself ready. He leaned over Jim.

“Jim darling, look at me.” He stroked his thumb encouragingly along Jim’s cheek. “Look at me now,” he coaxed.

Jim’s wild eyes, a rim of fierce blue around the dilated pupil, stared back at him.

“Bones.”

Leo pressed his mouth to his those beautiful lips, swollen with his kisses, as pressed his cock inside Jim.

“Oh Bones.” 

Leo dipped his tongue into Jim’s mouth swallowing down his moans as he rocked into him. He moved slowly giving Jim chance to adjust to the pressure.

On his third push inside, he hit Jim’s prostate and Jim clutched blindly at him.

“More, more please.”

Leo pulled back from Jim’s tempting mouth and hitched his hips higher. Jim hooked his shaking legs over Leo’s shoulders. The next time Leo drove in, Jim’s whole body quivered.

He repeated the stroke again and again until Jim’s head was tossing from side to side and his hands were scrabbling desperately at the sheets. Panting with his own need for completion, Leo wrapped one hand around Jim’s straining cock and jacked it firmly.

Jim came with a shout.

Leo continued to slide into the warmth of Jim’s body as it rippled and contracted around him.

Dazed blue eyes gazed blearily at him. “C’mon Bones,” Jim encouraged and clenched down on him. Leo’s stroke slammed home and he came deep inside Jim.

Breathless, sweaty and blissful, he collapsed. He was aware of Jim wriggling to untangle his legs, and heaved himself up onto his forearms to try and help. Jim’s hands fluttered against his back, Leo twisted his head and pressed a trail of kisses to Jim’s neck.

“Holy hell,” Jim sounded just as happily worn out as Leo felt, “I have to tell you, suave is seriously overrated.”

“Brat,” said Leo. When he’d recovered a little, he pulled out, moaning with Jim at the loss of connection. He staggered into the bathroom, cleaned himself up and returned with a warm washcloth for Jim.

“You’re the best Bones,” sighed Jim, as Leo wiped him down. He was already more than half-asleep. Leo kissed his shoulder, tossed the cloth away, and climbed back into bed, wrapping himself around his partner. Jim tangled their fingers together and they both drifted away into sleep.

 

When Leo woke up the next morning, Jim was gone.

 

Still stupid with sleep, Leo had a woozy moment where it felt like he’d dreamt the whole thing and Jim was a figment conjured by his hungry imagination. Sitting up and knuckling his eyes clear allowed common sense to reassert itself. The trace of Jim’s presence was faint but there, Leo just didn’t understand why Jim wasn’t there. He glanced about hopefully for a note of explanation, there wasn’t one, but he did spot Jim’s grubby grey t-shirt scrunched up in a tiny ball half-hidden by his wardrobe.

Leo padded out of bed and picked it up. Definitely Jim’s. He stood there for a moment, puzzling as to how and why Jim left it behind, then opened his wardrobe to check his own stack of t-shirts. He didn’t own many and he was pretty sure an old black college t-shirt was missing, which explained that.

Feeling much better – Jim obviously had an early lecture that he hadn’t wanted to attend in yesterday’s clothes and swapping the t-shirts back made a perfect excuse to see Jim again – he started his own day.

Rearranging his admin work he managed to clear his schedule by half-eleven which would hopefully give him long enough to track Jim down in time to invite him out for lunch. He cursed himself for not getting Jim’s number - Jim was right Leo was not suave at all - and went back to the coffee shop. He didn’t recognize the barista on duty but the young man looked likely to be a student, so he asked after Jim.

The barista looked him up and down with a scornful thoroughness that’d give Leo’s cousins a run for their money, he was glad he had practice resisting the urge to squirm.

“Well, you’re not Kirk’s usual style,” he said finally. “Try the electronic labs, that’s usually where he hides out with his bitch girlfriend.”

Leo hid his flinch at the mention of Jim having a girlfriend, the barista was clearly trying to get a rise out of him and Leo also had a lot of practice at not rising to the bait. He thanked the guy and left quickly.

Directions to the electronics labs were easy to come by, and once there, enquiry after Jim had him pointed to ‘the love shack.’ The door was tucked away at the very back of the main lab, there was a handwritten sign sellotaped in place ‘Don’t come knockin’ if the place is rockin’!’

Leo was starting to feel out of his depth. The Jim he remembered from last night seemed nothing like the Jim he was about to meet and he actually considered the idea that, against all odds, there were actually two Jim Kirk’s studying computer engineering. Which was ridiculous. Possibly - probably - Leo was ridiculous. 

Still, he’d come this far, he wasn’t not going to back down now. He rapped his knuckles against the door and opened it quickly before he lost his nerve.

It didn’t look like his lurid imaginings of a love shack. It looked exactly like any other lab. A little untidy, with its sprawl of electronic components and half-finished projects, but he’d bet the owners knew the location of every twist of wire.

“Ow fuck, damnit,” the explosion of profanity was accompanied by an explosion of blue sparks. Leo turned his head and found Jim sitting cross-legged on a lab bench crouched over the source of the blue sparks. There was the distinct smell of scorched plastic.

“What the fuck are you… Bones,” Jim’s voice switched abruptly from angry to delighted. “Hi, how’s it going?” He shook his hand out like it hurt, then stuck his fingers in his mouth.

“Did you just burn yourself?”

Jim pulled his fingers out his mouth, “Just a little bit.” He glanced at his hand, winced, and stuck his fingers back in his mouth.

Leo stared at him, completely appalled. “Sink right now. Cold water for burns, how do you not know this?” He grabbed Jim’s arm, tugging him down from the lab bench and across the room to the sink. He flicked the cold tap on, and shoved Jim’s hand under the flow.

“It’s only a small burn, honest. I’ve had worse.”

Leo scowled, “That’s completely irrelevant. You need to take better care of yourself.”

“I’m fine,” said Jim sulkily but he let Leo hold his hand under the cold water. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“I came to see you.”

“Really.” Jim beamed. He almost looked surprised, as if Leo being there might have been a complete coincidence.

“Yes, some reprobate’s pinched my t-shirt, I thought you might have some idea where I could find him.” Leo took a step back so he could really appreciate the sight of Jim wearing his old college t-shirt. The surge of _want, mine_ possessiveness dried his mouth and quickened his pulse.

“Can’t trust some people with anything, what are you going to do when you find him?”

“Exact reparations.” He gave into temptation and traced the words scrawled across the t-shirt with his finger-tips. Jim’s breath hitched when he passed over his right nipple and he went back to rub it with his thumb. 

“Sounds pretty serious. Is there any,” Jim’s voice faltered as Leo’s hand pressed flat against his sternum and firmly stroked down to rest just inside the waist of his jeans, “anything he could offer as mitigation.”

Jim widened his stance, legs shifting restlessly, allowing Leo to slide his thigh between them. Pressing his whole body into Jim, Leo pinned him back against the sink, one hand still caught under the cold water. Jim wriggled against him and they both groaned at the sensation.

“Maybe,” said Leo, struggling to keep the conversation on track. “We could discuss it over lunch?”

“Lunch sounds good,” Jim murmured, tilting his head for a kiss, eyes soft and unfocused. Leo pressed his mouth to Jim’s and licked his way inside.

The door to the lab crashed open, “What the hell?” demanded an irate voice.

“Gaila!” Jim jerked away from Leo.

“What’s he doing here?” she demanded.

“I burnt my hand, Bones was doing first aid.” Jim rubbed his wet hand against his jeans.

“Burns now require mouth to mouth resuscitation?”

“Um,” Jim blushed.

Another student appeared in the doorway, “Hey Kirk, your girlfriend catch you messing around on her?”

“Shut up Finnegan,” said Jim and Gaila as one. Gaila kicked the door shut in his face.

“Actually I came by to invite Jim out for lunch,” said Leo.

“Huh,” Gaila looked at him, “You should take him to La Farola.”

“We can’t go there,” scolded Jim.

“Why not?” asked Leo. He quite liked La Farola.

“Geez, do you know how much they charge? Gaila’s just being silly. We’ll go to the café on Fourth Street. Uh, unless you just wanted to grab something from the college bar.”

“Café sounds good to me.” Leo was perfectly happy to go along with whatever Jim wanted.

“Alright, bye Gaila, see you later.” Jim hurriedly ushered him out the door and away from Gaila’s glare.

“Gaila isn’t actually your girlfriend, is she?” Leo asked.

“What? No! You can’t think…”

Leo slung his arm around Jim’s resistant body and cut him off with a kiss, “I didn’t really think she was, but it would explain why she’s trying to vaporize me with the force of her glare.”

Jim laughed and his body relaxed. “That’s just Gaila. We’re friends and the other guys like to be dicks about it. Last year when we got kicked out of our flat, we slept in the lab for a few weeks, and they were all over that. We couldn’t exactly tell them why we had sleeping bags in the lab and the rumor mill spun out of control. I mean,” Jim peeked up at him timidly, “it didn’t help our reputations weren’t exactly spotless.”

Leo was still stuck on the ‘slept in the lab’ part. “You were homeless?”

“Roomless, yes. But Scotty, he’s our supervisor, figured out what was going on and let us stay at his place. Which, let me tell you, did not cut down on the rumors at all.”

“You were homeless?”

“It happens,” said Jim as if it was a perfectly normal course of events. He suddenly grinned mischievously, “You wanna know what the best rumors are?”

“I’m afraid to even speculate.”

“They speculate - on what sort of robotic spare parts we’re constructing,” Jim leered dirtily.

“I’m guessing from your expression something sex related,” Leo blinked, “No really? They think you’re constructing,” he waved his hands through the air.

“Yup.” Jim nodded proudly. “If there was any truth in their more outlandish guesses, we’d all be millionaires by now.”

“What are you actually constructing?”

“Actually constructing, nothing but cheap robots. What we’re _trying_ to do is combine robotic sensors with robotic imagining equipment to get a robot-brain that understands the image it sees.”

“Is it working?”

“Define working.”

Leo laughed, “Are you getting interesting results?”

“Definitely. Actually I wanted to ask you a question to do with all that stuff you were explaining about grafting neural networks.”

“Go on,” said Leo grinning stupidly at the evidence Jim had not only being paying attention to what Leo said the night before but he’d remembered and thought about it.

At the café, Jim ate his burger and fries with quick economical bites, it was all gone before Leo had barely started. Jim turned down Leo’s offer to buy another meal, but he eyed Leo’s lunch with such predatory wistfulness, that Leo eventually pushed his half-finished meal away and declared he was full and did Jim want any.

Jim did. 

Watching him lick his sticky fingers, Leo wanted to buy him the whole world and give it to him wrapped up in a bow. He settled for getting desserts to go for Jim and Gaila to eat that afternoon and worming out of Jim exactly what sort of electrical gizmo they most needed in the lab. 

He ordered the gizmo over the net that afternoon when he should have been marking essays, then snuck out early to go shopping. He bought a simple first aid kit, three tubes of burn cream and a heavy winter jacket, because the jacket Jim wore the night before was far too thin for the season.

Jim stared at the jacket and poked it experimentally as if he didn’t quite believe it was there.

“You bought this for me?”

“Sure.”

“Why?”

“Cause you were cold last night.”

“Huh.” Jim’s fingers stroked down the quilted material. “It’s really nice.”

“Good, try it on.”

Jim bundled up in the jacket Leo bought him was so hopelessly endearing that Leo had to kiss him. 

 

Later as they lay in bed together, Leo leaned over Jim and petted sweaty, shivery skin with gentle hands. When aftershocks no longer quivered through him, Leo slid them onto their sides and curled around Jim, one arm curved around Jim’s waist so his hand could press flat against Jim’s chest.

“Stay,” he whispered.

“Uh, uh,” he could feel Jim’s struggle against sleep for coherency.

“Sssh,” he soothed, “just stay, please.”

Jim wrenched himself fully awake and shifted up onto one elbow. “Early class tomorrow gotta get the bus. Car’s in the shop.”

“That’s easy dealt with. I’ll drive you in.”

“Early,” Jim reminded, although he eased back against the pillow.

“Not a problem.” Leo wrapped both arms around Jim this time to give himself a better chance of hanging onto him and tugged him back against his chest.

“Sleep now,” he urged, pressing little kisses to the back of Jim’s neck. Jim made a grumbly noise and snuggled closer. Together they fell asleep.

He still didn’t get to wake up with Jim. 

Drifting awake, his hand searched vainly for Jim. He must have just missed him though, the sheets were still warm. A little bit more awake, he sat up and scrubbed at his face. The faint sound at the edge of his hearing resolved itself into the radio. It still took him a moment to realize if his radio was on, Jim must still be there.

Scrabbling out of bed, he went to check.

Jim, in just his jeans, was buttering toast, his body bobbing to the beat as he sang along with the radio. Leo stopped in the doorway to admire, eyes skimming the smooth muscle of Jim’s naked arms and chest, the tight jeans that clung to his ass and legs, down to his bare feet.

“Goddamnit, even your feet are pretty.”

Jim jumped so violently that he dropped the knife, cursed and clutched the countertop.

“You’re awake?” he gasped.

“Is that bad?”

“I was doing you breakfast in bed. I’d have made eggs, but you don’t have any, or anything really.”

“Usually I eat at work, it’s simpler. I’ll go shopping and stock up.” He wandered over and snagged a bite of toast.

“So I guess you don’t want breakfast in bed?” Jim sounded disappointed.

Leo opened his mouth to explain he disliked eating in bed because the mess got everywhere, but then he spotted the neatly made up tray, it was even decorated with a sprig of holly from the garden.

He smiled. The bed didn’t matter, he already planned to throw out his black sheets and buy new ones, blue ones.

“Breakfast in bed sounds perfect.”

Jim beamed. “Get back in bed then. I’ll be through in a minute.”

 

The car drew to a halt and Leo blinked back into the present. He hung onto Jim’s bright smile with all his heart. He couldn’t, wouldn’t believe Jim was faking that. 

Still on autopilot, he put the handbrake on and turned off the ignition. Massaging the heels of his hands against his aching temples, he tried to take stock. He wasn’t sure where he was. He stormed from his mother’s to the car and driven straight here, wherever here was, without taking in his surroundings at all. If he had the energy he’d be furious with himself.

Flopping back in his seat, he glanced around, immediately spotting Jim’s car. He was at the parking lot behind the electronics lab. He wished he could glare at subconscious. He wasn’t ready to face Jim yet.

The doubts his _loving_ relatives had raised weren’t going to lie back down. Leo didn’t want to admit it, but he knew part of the reason their accusations had hit so hard was because the doubts were already there at the back of his mind, they had just poked them out into the light.

And now he didn’t know what to do. He might be a grouchy bastard with no personal skills, but even he knew ‘Are you only with me for my money?’ was a relationship ending question, and if it didn’t end the relationship it probably wasn’t a relationship you wanted to be in.

With a sigh he felt down to his toes, he climbed out his car. Since he was already here, he might as well go visit Jim. Just seeing his boyfriend would help shut up those nagging voices.

He quickly made his way to the electronics lab, as he pushed open the main door he heard Finnegan’s voice,

“So how long are you going to keep taking advantage of your doctor for?”

And Jim said, “As long as he’ll let me.”

Leo froze right through. He felt like the slightest touch would shatter him beyond repair. Too late, he realized that he hadn’t truly thought Jim was taking advantage of him, no matter what people said. Somehow he’d stupidly believed that because he loved Jim so much, Jim just had love him back.

From the lab came the sound of Finnegan’s laughter, “Well at least you admit it.”

“Oh shut the hell up, everyone knows I’m not good enough for Bones.”

“Had another visit from the Medics, huh?”

Jim hissed like an angry cat, “They can all shut up too. So what if I’m taking advantage by catching him on the rebound. You’d think if he was so cut up over the idiot who left him, and seriously she was a fucking moron to leave Bones, they’d be glad to see him dating again.”

Anger pushed through the stunned fog in Leo’s brain, thawing him out of his icy shock. Somebody from the medical wing was harassing Jim about their relationship. That was not acceptable. 

The grapevine thinking he was still hung up on Jocelyn was mildly amusing, that Jim appeared to think so too was not.

“But they don’t want him dating a little whore like you, Jimmy.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Anything you say little whore.”

“Oh very funny. I’m not in the mood for dealing with your attempts at humor. I’m off.”

Through the crack of the door, Leo saw Jim walk across the lab to the coat rack.

“God, what is up with that stupid beanie hat?”

“Bones bought it for me.”

“You can’t be much of a fuck if that’s all you can get out of him. A ridiculous hat only a middle-aged idiot trying to be hip would even think of buying.”

Leo cringed, feeling old and stupid.

Jim spun around, sneakers squeaking on the lab floor, “Don’t you dare talk about Bones like that.”

“What, you telling me you like the hat?”

“It keeps my ears warm. And Bones bought it for me.” 

“Because he has the taste of a forty year old, oh wait, that’s because he is forty.”

“I said - don’t you dare talk about Bones like that. You can sneer all you want at me, but you will lay off Bones.”

“Aww, the little whore’s defending his boyfriend.”

There was a smack of fist against flesh. Leo jumped as he realized Jim had punched Finnegan.

“Ow fuck, what the hell was that for? You know, when that beloved boyfriend of yours figures out you’re nothing but a jumped up street brawler he is going to dump you like the trash you are.”

“Why does everyone think this is news to me? I get it. I’m taking advantage, I’m not good enough. Once he’s over the idiot who left him, he’s going to leave me in the dust. But you know what? Bones chose me. And I’m sticking around until he tells me to go. So you can all just fuck off.”

“That’s so cute, you went and fell in love with your sugar daddy, you stupid little shit.”

“So what if I did. Bones is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. He takes care of me. He’d never hurt me. If he does dump me,” Jim huffed a laugh, “it won’t be for refusing to guest star at an orgy. And Finnegan,” Jim’s voice dropped as he leaned closer to the other man, “even if he dumped me today, I still wouldn’t take you back.”

“As if I’d have you. Fucking prude. And it was a foursome, not an orgy.”

“I don’t have to hang around and listen to your shit.”

“But you do, little whore, and you know why, because I’m just saying what you’re already thinking.”

Jim tugged the beanie hat more firmly over his head and pulled on his jacket. He’d apparently had enough of that conversation. Leo’d certainly had more than enough of listening to that conversation. He moved and started to push the lab door fully open.

Finnegan’s eyes flashed, he grabbed for Jim’s shoulder, twisting Jim around and yanking him into an embrace. Jim’s hands came up, clutching at the other man for balance and as Leo walked further into the room, it was Finnegan who pulled back, artfully shamming surprised horror.

“What the hell?” snarled Jim, taking his own steps backwards.

“Oh my God, Dr McCoy,” said Finnegan loudly, “this isn’t what it looks like.” The smug smirk accompanying the words was real.

“Bones.” Jim’s eyes went wide with shock, then flat with resignation.

The realization Jim wasn’t even going to attempt to defend himself snapped Leo’s temper clear in two. It had been a long time since he threw a punch in anger but it wasn’t something you forget. He drove his fist into Finnegan’s eye, the one that wasn’t looking puffy from Jim’s own punch.

“Bones!” Jim flung himself between them, grabbing Leo’s raised arm.

Finnegan staggered back, catching himself on a lab bench. “There’s no need for violence, just because I can give the slut what he needs.”

Leo tensed. Jim’s grip on him tightened.

“Shut up Finnegan,” Jim snapped.

Leo reluctantly gave up on the idea of further violence. No matter how satisfying it might be, it wasn’t the right thing to do and it wouldn’t help anything in the long run.

“Come on Jim, let’s get out of here.”

“But -”

“I’d rather we didn’t have this conversation in front of him.”

Jim cast an unfriendly glance at Finnegan, “Yeah okay, that makes sense.” He accepted Leo’s hand and followed him out the lab.

“You can come crying to me anytime, Jimmy boy,” Finnegan called after them.

“I hate it when he calls me that,” muttered Jim.

Leo walked a bit faster. Jim allowed himself to be towed along until they were back outside when he came to an abrupt halt.

“Jim?”

“Aren’t you even going to ask about the scene in the lab? It seriously wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Oh? To me it looked like Finnegan was trying to stir up trouble between us. If it wasn’t that, what was going on?”

“You believe me, just like that?”

“Well, to be honest, I saw Finnegan grab you.”

“Oh.” Jim’s face fell.

“But I wouldn’t have believed him anyway. If you were going to cheat on me, I think you’d have the basic good sense to pick someone you actually liked.”

“I liked Finnegan at one point.”

“Okay, now that is disturbing.”

“Are you teasing me?”

“Just a little a bit. Finnegan is clearly a complete dick but since he had you and lost you he is equally clearly stupid as hell, so I’ll just do my best ignore him.”

Jim tilted his head and studied him.

“What?” asked Leo.

“Are you all right Bones? You seem to be in an odd mood.”

Leo grinned at him and thought, _I’m as giddy as a schoolgirl, you just about admitted you love me_.

“Had a good day,” he said.

“If you say so,” said Jim, still looking cautious.

“Actually I wanted to talk you about something. See before I met you I went out with a woman called Jocelyn - ”

“Darnell. I know, it’s been explained to me. Shit and I said even if it happened today. I just had to tempt fate, didn’t I.”

“What?”

“She wants you back, right?”

“What!”

“It’s okay. I was kinda hoping, that is, I guess I stupidly believed that because I…” he stopped and bit his lip, “you just had to…,” he shook his head. 

“But I understand. I won’t be difficult about it.” Jim’s blue eyes grew liquid and he blinked rapidly before he swiped his eyes with the heel of his hand. “Shit. Sorry. You better go. I promised myself I wouldn’t make a scene. Shit.” He turned away.

“Jim,” Leo grabbed him tight, “Jim, you don’t understand. Jocelyn doesn’t want me back, or hell maybe she does, I haven’t a clue because I haven’t heard from her since she transferred to San Diego. It’s all irrelevant because I don’t want her back.”

“Of course you want her back. You were devastated when she left you. You didn’t date for two years. You didn’t date anyone until, well, me.”

“That wasn’t about Jocelyn.” Honesty made him add, “Maybe it was a bit in the beginning, but after that there just wasn’t anyone I wanted to date.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, your family set you up on like a hundred dates.”

“Jim, how exactly do you know all this?”

“Your family’s very protective of you.”

“You mean they’re interfering busybodies who’s own lives aren’t fucked up enough for them, they have to fuck up my life too.” Leo was beginning to get suspicious about the source of some of his problems with Jocelyn. His family hadn’t approved of her either.

“Bones no, they’re your family. They love you and they worry about you. It’s sweet.”

Leo apparently really had learned something from the whole Jocelyn debacle because he managed to bite back the words that Jim wouldn’t enjoy it if he were in Leo’s position. He knew perfectly well that Jim would adore any sort of interest or concern from his distant mother and absent brother.

“That’s as maybe,” he said instead, “but I’m a grownup, I’m allowed to make my own decisions about who I date. And about who moves in with me.”

Jim blushed.

“That’s why you’ve been refusing to move in with, right? Because my family and friends have helpfully convinced you this is some sort of rebound fling.”

“It’s okay Bones. I understand. I mean, when they explained it, it made sense.”

Leo wanted to know exactly which of his overly-busy family ‘explained’ the situation to Jim, but on the other hand he didn’t, because he didn’t think he’d ever be able to completely forgive them and he was sure his mother had been involved somehow.

“Jim, my family do not know everything. Witness two years of unsuccessfully trying to set me up.”

“But.”

“Seriously. Two years.” Leo held up two fingers to emphasize the point. “And they couldn’t find anyone I wanted to see again, much less date.”

“But.”

“You keep objecting and I’ll start thinking you don’t love me after all.”

“Of course I love you.” Jim snapped, then gasped and covered his mouth with his hand like a guilty child. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”

Leo was too busy pushing Jim up against the wall and kissing him breathless to spare any time for telling Jim he was an idiot for apologizing over something Leo had wanted to hear for so long. He was pretty sure Jim got the general idea anyway.

Eventually he pulled back slightly, though he kept his hands flat against the wall on either side of Jim’s head, in case Jim was about to say anything else idiotic.

“You like that I love you?” asked Jim uncertainly.

“Well,” said Leo, happiness bubbling away inside him, “it works out pretty good, because I love you too.”

“You do?”

Leo kissed him again.


End file.
